Mumbai: Auto driver beaten to death by mob in Malad, kin claim culprits have political links
A 32-year-old auto driver died allegedly of injuries inflicted by a mob in Malad in north Mumbai on suspicion that he was a thief, after which his kin took out a protest march and demanded action against those involved in the incident, a police official said on Monday.
Shahrukh Sheikh was apprehended by residents of Damu Nagar some 10 days ago when he had gone to check on his autorickshaw that he had parked there, he said. The mob soon started hitting him claiming he may be a thief and then dumped him in an isolated place nearby, the official informed.
"Some passersby alerted us and he was brought to the police station and booked in a robbery case. He secured bail two days later and died while undergoing treatment, possibly from injuries sustained in the mob assault," he added.
The family of the man has now demanded that police check CCTV footage to apprehend the people who beat him up.
Sheikh's kin, who took out a protest march to the office of the Additional Commissioner of Police (North Region) on Sunday, said those involved were workers of a political party, and that the probe was stuck due to pressure from local politicians.
Speaking on the issue, Samata Nagar police station Senior Inspector Anandrao Haake said, "We first booked Sheikh for robbery and then charged seven to eight people with rioting on the complaint of his kin. We are waiting for the post mortem report to proceed with the probe."
Haake, however, said no injury marks were found on the body of the deceased.
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